Lady Gaga is banned in China. Join the club!
Lady Gaga meets the Dalai Lama
Lady Gaga has been banned in China after meeting with the Dalai Lama before he presented the keynote address at the annual United States Conference of Mayors in Indianapolis on Sunday. She has now been added to “the list of hostile foreign forces” that China maintains (I am not making that up). From The Washington Post:
Lady Gaga’s friendliness toward the spiritual leader means she, too, has incurred the Chinese government’s wrath. The State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television now legally forbids Lady Gaga and her music from appearing on the radio or TV. Her downloadable albums will be removed from online stores.
Damn, Lady Gaga. She JUST got her previous 3 year ban lifted in 2014, supposedly because her music posed a threat to Chinese “cultural security” (also not making that up). But hey, congrats on the ban and lets look at the other musicians banned from China!
Bjork
Bjork, right before being banned from China. 😦
Bjork was banned from China after she chanted, “Tibet! Tibet!,” following her song, “Declare Independence,” at a Beijing concert in 2008. Totally against the law in China. Lifetime ban!
Elton John
Elton John and Ai WeiWei, totally in China.
Elton John was briefly banned after dedicating a 2013 Beijing concert to Ai WeiWei, a Chinese artist and activist. China was super offended and the cultural ministry said that from that point on, no foreign artists without a college degree could perform in China. Because THAT was the problem. (Thankfully never carried out).
Maroon 5
Maroon 5, not in China.
Someone in the band attended a birthday party for the Dalai Lama; photos were taken and circulated; big gigs canceled in China when they were banned. People of Beijing and Shanghai dodged a bullet with this one, I feel.
Linkin Park
Linkin Park, not in China.
Photos with Dalai Lama -> band banned -> seeing a pattern here? Another bullet dodged, tho.
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan, not in China.
Banned in 2010 because Chinese authorities were told he was “political” due to songs like “The Times They Are a-Changin” and “Blowin’ In The Wind.” He canceled a show in Shanghai and I was DISTRAUGHT. He was allowed back in 2011 with a pre-approved set list and the show was so-so.
Oasis
Oasis, not in China.
Oasis were super confused when the license for stage shows in Shanghai and Beijing was revoked in 2009. Guess what? They had connects the the Free Tibet Movement from a concert, like 15 years earlier.
Jay-Z
Jay-Z, not in China.
Banned from performing in 2006 because his music contained “too many profane lyrics,” which is Chinese for “We don’t understand what he’s talking about, but we see dirty words.”
Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift, totally in China!
Fun fact: Taylor Swift was almost banned from China during her huge 1989 tour. The tour, of course, is named after the album which is named after the year Swift was born. But in China, 1989 is the year of the Tienanmen Square protests, which is like, the number one thing you NEVER talk about in China. Also, Taylor Swift’s initials could also stand for Tienanmen Square, and those Chinese officials were taking no chances. Taylor made it past the censors and was able to perform in 2015; however, the t-shirts from her merch store with her initials and the year 1989 did not. 😦
Taylor Swift’s t-shirt, totally not in China.
Smack Madness 
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